DID YOU KNOW THESE FACTS ABOUT COLUMBIA?

Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents.

Economy
Never a strong center of industry and manufacturing, the city's economic base relies on the education, medical, technology and insurance industries. Studies consistently rank Columbia as a top city in which to live for educational facilities, health care, technological savvy, economic growth, cultural opportunities and cost of living. The city has been ranked as high as the second-best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine's annual list, but has not been ranked in the top 100 since 2006. Residents of Columbia are usually described as "Columbians.

The economy of Columbia is historically dominated by education, healthcare, and the insurance industry. Jobs in government are also common, either in Columbia or a half-hour away in Jefferson City. Commutes into the city are also common and in 2000 the city had a day time population of 106,487. The Columbia Regional Airport and the Missouri River Port of Rocheport connect the region with trade and transportation. The University of Missouri is by far the city's largest employer.

Culture
The Blue Note, a rock and pop venue downtown.The Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts and Jesse Auditorium are Columbia's largest fine arts venues. The Ragtag Cinema host the well-known True/False Film Festival annually. In 2008, filmmaker Todd Sklar completed Box Elder, which was filmed entirely in and around Columbia and the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri's Museum of Art and Archaeology displays 14,000 works of art and archaeological objects in five galleries for no charge to the public. Libraries include the Columbia Public Library, the University of Missouri Libraries, with over three million volumes in Ellis Library, and the State Historical Society of Missouri. The "We Always Swing" Jazz Series and the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival bring some of the country's finest Jazz and Blues to Columbia and Central Missouri.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,729, and the median income for a family was $52,288. Males had a median income of $34,710 versus $26,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,507. About 9.4% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over. However, traditional measures of income and poverty can be misleading when applied to cities with high student populations, such as Columbia.

Climate
Columbia has a climate marked by sharp seasonal contrasts in temperature, falling between a humid continental and humid subtropical climate. Monthly daily averages range from 27.8 °F in January to 77.4 °F in July, and the annual mean is 54.0 °F. The temperature exceeds 90 °F on an average 36 days per year, and every few years exceeds 100 °F, while 5 to 6 nights of below 0 °F conditions can be expected. Precipitation tends to be greatest and most frequent in spring, when severe weather is also most common. Snow averages 26 inches per season, and typically falls in light amounts at a time. Extreme temperatures have ranged from -26 °F in February 1899 to 113 °F in July 1954.

A small percentage of the businesses listed on BlackCityInfo.com may not necessarily be black owned and operated but have received favorable reviews from users who have visited the establishment, or from the owners themselves who warmly seek out African American patronage.

The Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival is a fall music festival that takes place in Columbia, Missouri. It features food, area craftspeople, a sanctioned barbecue contest, and nationally known musicians performing bluegrass, blues, Appalachian folk, gospel and other genres of American-based music.

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